HE Mohamed Abushahab, Ambassador and Permanent Representative
Thank you, Xiaohong,
Good morning, Excellencies and colleagues. Thank you for joining this latest briefing ahead of the 15th Crime Congress, which the United Arab Emirates is proud to be hosting in Abu Dhabi from 26 September to 1 October.
I am delighted to be joined by Under-Secretary-General Monica Juma, Executive Director of UNODC, and Ms. Jo Dedeyne-Amann, Chief of the Secretariat of the Governing Bodies of UNODC [who will be sharing some updates and insights with us today].
We are pleased to be co-hosting this event with our partners at UNODC, and grateful to them and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) for their support, which has been central at every stage of our preparations for the Crime Congress.
For over seventy years, the Crime Congress has provided an important platform where policymakers, practitioners, and experts from around the world can exchange experiences, identify emerging challenges, and shape the international response to crime.
Each edition of the Crime Congress has left its mark on international law, as well as policy and practice. Many of the ideas and standards that now underpin international cooperation in criminal justice were first debated and refined through this process.
This year’s Congress provides an opportunity to build on that legacy. The Congress will convene more than 3,000 participants from every corner of the world, including heads of government and ministers, practitioners, affected communities, civil society representatives, and experts .
The agenda reflects the evolving challenges facing criminal justice systems around the world, from technological change and environmental crime, to strengthening the rule of law and effective approaches to crime prevention.
As host, the UAE is committed to a Congress defined by inclusion, ambition, and action. Our objective is not only for the participants’ voices to be heard, but for their perspectives to shape the Congress’s outcomes.
Critically, this includes the voices of women and youth, who are disproportionately affected by crime, exploitation, and systemic inequities in criminal justice. We see their meaningful participation in the Congress as necessary for outcomes that are both credible and effective.
So, colleagues, only days after the conclusion of the 35th session of the CCPCJ, and with less than four months until the opening of the Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi, our preparations are entering an important phase.
As with previous briefings, today will be an opportunity for Member States to share views on organizational matters, continue refining substantive priorities, and build momentum ahead of the Congress.
We look forward to hearing your contributions, and to working with all of you between now and September to ensure a successful and impactful Crime Congress in the UAE.
Thank you.